An NBA player says, ‘I’m gay.’ How the public is reacting

Jason Collins #98 of the Boston Celtics warms up in a game against the Golden State Warriors on December 29, 2012 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California.

Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images

In this week’s issue of Sports Illustrated, veteran NBA center Jason Collins wrote that he is gay. ”I’m a 34-year-old NBA center. I’m black. And I’m gay,” the 12-year NBA veteran wrote.

Collins, who played for the Washington Wizards and previously for the Boston Celtics this season, his 12th in the NBA, explained the timing of his decision to publicly come out. “I started thinking about this in 2011 during the NBA player lockout. I’m a creature of routine. When the regular season ends I immediately dedicate myself to getting game ready for the opener of the next campaign in the fall. But the lockout wreaked havoc on my habits and forced me to confront who I really am and what I really want.”

President Obama called Jason Collins today to express his support and told him he was impressed by his courage. In an ABC News interview May of 2012, the president became the first sitting president to back marriage equality. “For me personally, it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that–I think same-sex couples should be able to get married,” Obama said.

According to the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, 53% of Americans support same-sex marriage and 42% oppose. In his article, Jason Collins wrote, “I’m glad I’m coming out in 2013 rather than 2003. The climate has shifted; public opinion has shifted. And yet we still have so much farther to go.”

But his announcement appeared to be generally well-received, with an outpouring of support from former teammates, professional athletes, friends and politicians. Here is the encouragement and support Collins received on Twitter throughout Monday.